Education

Drop Out Trends in Washington

Black Students Dropped/Pushed Out at Higher Rates

Black students in Washington State drop out (or are pushed out) of grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 at more than twice the rate of Asian/Pacific Islander students and at nearly twice the rate of White students.

Each year, 7 percent of Black high school students drop out. Over time, more than one-third of our students leave high school before getting a diploma. As the table below shows, a small share of those who drop out eventually complete a GED, but they are accounted for in the 7 percent rate.

What These Drop Out Rates Mean

The overall effect is that fewer of our students get high school diplomas. Students who do not master high-school subjects are often not ready for career training or college after high school. This greatly diminishes their earning power, limits career options and opportunites for career advancement.